The present invention relates to gutters for eaves, and particularly to a roof gutter which doubles as an eaves fascia and soffit vent and which incorporates means for preventing debris from entering the gutter. The present invention provides total eaves protecting construction by combining five presently individual construction items into a single, unitary device. The present invention combines the features and benefits of a rain gutter, a debris screen, a drip edge, a fascia, and a soffit vent into a single, integrally formed, molded plastic, eaves protecting construction device.
Gutters for carrying rain away from a roof have been around for ages. Some of the gutters incorporate features for preventing debris from entering the gutter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,682 to Teutsch shows such a gutter having a perforated portion which allows water to pass into the gutter but prevents leaves and other materials from entering. Gutters which also double as a fascia along the eaves of a roof have also been known for some time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,808 to Maloney Jr., et al. shows such a gutter/fascia combination which also has means for receiving a soffit panel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,974 to Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,056 to Hallam and U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,785 to Zaccagni all show various arrangements having a combined gutter and fascia. U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,284 to Hall shows a plastic gutter and discusses the advantages of such a construction. U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,131 to Webster shows a gutter attached to a fascia plate which has a soffit receiving portion. While the above mentioned patents show various embodiments having portions of the present invention, none shows the present invention as a whole, nor incorporate the inventive features described below.